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The women's singles tournament at the French Open 2023 will certainly be one to watch out for, with quite a few players capable of winning it.
Iga Swiatek is the defending champion, having beaten Coco Gauff in last year's final. The Pole will be expected to win her third title at Roland Garros but the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina are also capable of lifting the trophy, as are Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur.
On that note, here is everything you need to know about the French Open 2023
What is the French Open?
The French Open is a Grand Slam that is played on claycourt, thus making it the most prestigious tournament on the surface.
The inaugural women's singles event at the Major took place in 1897, with Adine Masson winning it by beating Suzanne Girod in the final.
Chris Evert is the most successful woman in the history of the French Open with seven singles titles to her name, one more than the legendary Steffi Graf and Suzanne Lenglen.
Other past champions at the claycourt Major include Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, Margaret Court, and Monica Seles.
Venue
The French Open 2023 will be held at the Stade Roland Garros which has three main courts. Court Philippe Chatrier has a capacity of 15,000 while Court Suzanne Lenglen can hold 10,068 spectators. Court Simonne Mathieu has a capacity of 5000.
Players
Iga Swiatek is arguably the heaviest favorite to win the French Open, considering her current form. The Pole will aim to become only the second woman's player to successfully defend their title at the claycourt Slam this century, with Justine Henin being the only one so far.
However, there are a number of players who are capable of challenging Swiatek, most notably Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka beat the World No. 1 in the Madrid Open final and has been in terrific form so far this season. The Belarusian already won the Australian Open and will fancy her chances in Roland Garros as well.
Rybakina has faced Swiatek thrice so far this season, winning on each occasion, although the most recent instance saw the Pole retiring due to injury. The Kazakh has won the Miami Open and the Italian Open so far this season and will be aiming to win her second Grand Slam in Paris.
The likes of Jessica Pegula, Ons Jabeur and last year's runner-up Coco Gauff are all capable of having a good run at Roland Garros and challenging for the title.
Schedule
The qualifying rounds of the French Open 2023 started on May 22 and will go on till May 26. The main draw will commence on May 28, with the first-round matches going on till May 30.
The quarterfinals are set for June 6 and June 7 while the semifinals will be held on June 8. The women's singles final is scheduled to be held on June 10.
Prize Money
The total prize money for the French Open 2023 is €49,600,000. The winner will receive a cheque worth €2,300,000, coupled with 2000 ranking points.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to Watch French Open 2023
Viewers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch the French Open live on the following channels and sites:
USA: All matches will be broadcast on NBC Sports, Peacock TV, Tennis Channel & Bally Sports.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the proceedings live on Eurosport, Discovery+.
Australia: All matches will be telecast on Nine Network.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch all the matches on RDS & TSN.
